AFJP – The Shorter Way

AFJP is an acronym that stands for Annam’s Family Jazz Project and serves as a screen for Sherbrooke-born guitarist and composer Annam Nguyen. Even without knowing the title of the group’s 4th opus, your ears will recognise the post-bop aesthetic behind Nguyen’s writing, even in the funk, blues and other stylistic incursions in it. And with good reason, since the album title, The Shorter Way, confirms that this is a tribute to the great Wayne Shorter. The band’s solid mastery of the genre’s codes is to be commended, as is their ability to veer off into the margins with more personal considerations. When I say Wayne Shorter, I mean the whole post-bop aesthetic, with hints of the Modern Jazz Quartet and Chick Corea. Rhythmically, the general pace is that of a relaxed stroll that avoids urgency and nervousness. 

The Shorter Way is a very fine album of educated, knowledgeable jazz that is also very approachable.

ALBUM LAUNCH FRIDAY 13 SEPTEMBER AT DIÈZE ONZE

Musicians: 

Axel Bonnaire (drums)

Bernard Riche (drums)

Jonathan-Guillaume Boudreau (double bass)

Thiago Ferte (tenor sax) 

Guests : 

Jean-Pierre Zanella (saxophone)

Jonathan Turgeon (piano/keyboard)

David Carbonneau (trumpet)